the story of Planetary Boundaries
Review: The emergence of the Planetary Boundaries framework and its impact on society and policy
Planetary Boundaries science has become mainstream in global sustainability science, and increasingly adopted across business, finance, policy and civil society, as a framework guiding sustainable development in the Anthropocene. Photo by Canva.
For the first time, the full story of the Planetary Boundaries (PB) framework is being told. Researchers review its growing influence across disciplines and its impact on society and policy. Fifteen years after it was first proposed, the framework is now crucial for advancing global sustainability amidst rising planetary risks.
In their review, published in Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, the researchers reflect on the significant impact of the PB framework on Earth system governance and its role in bridging the gap between Earth system science and sustainability science. They show how PBs have paved the way for innovative concepts like planetary health and doughnut economics.
“Understanding our relationship with the planet is a form of empowerment, and the Planetary Boundaries framework provides a clear way to understand how much we are taking from Earth. In this sense, it is essential for guiding the development of sustainable societies,” says Katherine Richardson from the University of Copenhagen, author of the review and of all the PB assessments.
The evolution of the planetary boundaries framework. Licenced under CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 (Credit: Azote for Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University. Based on Richardson et al. 2023, Steffen et al. 2015, and Rockström et al. 2009).
The researchers conclusion is that PB science has become mainstream in global sustainability science, and increasingly adopted across business, finance, policy and civil society, as a framework guiding sustainable development in the Anthropocene.
Examples of adoption of PB science are mapped in the article, including country studies like for New Zealand, operationalising attempts in cities like Amsterdam, business networks like the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and global science assessment mechanisms like the Earth Commission.
“Thanks to the science of the Planetary Boundaries, we have clear evidence that there is no solution to the climate crisis and no way of holding the 1.5°C boundary, without coming back to the safe operating space within the Biosphere boundaries: biodiversity, water, land, ocean, nutrients, aerosols. We need to consider all boundaries together to safeguard Earth’s health.” says Johan Rockström, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact research (PIK )and lead author of the paper.
Read more about the Planetary Boundaries framework.
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